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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29969715">Surround Yourself With Positive Things</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuckyLadybug/pseuds/LuckyLadybug'>LuckyLadybug</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Family Issues, Friendship, Gen, Male Friendship, Post-Canon, Slice of Life, Spiritual, Supernatural Elements</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 03:01:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,656</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29969715</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuckyLadybug/pseuds/LuckyLadybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-series. Kalin still keeps many secrets. Radley accidentally discovers one of them.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Surround Yourself With Positive Things</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The characters aren't mine and the story is! This is post-Crash Town, likely post-series in general. Radley is still in Satisfaction Town and due to events in the fics leading up to this, he and Kalin have become close friends. This was initially inspired by conversations with Amber2002161 about the possibility of Kalin being Psychic. I have a different take on it than most, I think. Also, it was Amber2002161's idea to have a scenario of Radley discovering Kalin has Psychic powers.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kalin stood in the small backyard, facing a row of empty glass soda bottles sitting on the dirt ground. On his arm he bore his unfolded Duel Gun. He drew a card with a flourish, studied it, and Summoned it. "Infernity Destroyer! Attack!"</p><p>He concentrated, pooling his energy into the hologram. A faint breeze started to blow through his hair, flapping the edges of his coat. One by one, the bottles began to crack. When Kalin pushed out more energy, they outright shattered.</p><p>The back door opened. "Kalin, why are you breaking glass . . . out here. . . ." Radley trailed off, just staring at the scene.</p><p>The breeze died, Kalin's hair falling back into position. He spun around, caught.</p><p>"Kalin, what did you do?!" Radley demanded.</p><p>Kalin walked across the way and took up an old box. He started to gingerly gather the jagged pieces. "I was just testing something," he said at last. "I wasn't sure before, but now I am."</p><p>"Not sure of what? That you can demolish things with telekinesis?!" When he didn't immediately get an answer, Radley sighed. "You're still pretty secretive. And okay, that's fine normally, but when I live here too, I'd kind of like to know if there's any danger of you knocking the house down on us!"</p><p>Kalin straightened. "It's not telekinesis," he said. "I can only do this during duels." He finally looked  back. "I'm a Psychic duelist."</p><p>Radley was still staring. ". . . Like The Black Rose?!"</p><p>Kalin shook his head. "My power doesn't seem to be as advanced as hers. I can't make monsters real. But I can clearly deal real damage, if I want to. I can seem to control it. That's what I was testing, if I can really control it to happen when I want to."</p><p>". . . Well, that's good," Radley said. After considering his reaction, he amended, "I mean, that's . . . that's amazing!"</p><p>"Except there's really no practical use for such a power, unless I'm going up against an enemy," Kalin said. He set the box on the back porch railing and sighed again. "Although with our luck, there may be more."</p><p>". . . How long have you been able to do this?" Radley asked.</p><p>"Ever since I was a Dark Signer," Kalin said. "Some part of the power came back with me when I was revived as myself." He looked away. "I didn't want to tell anyone. I was ashamed I still carried anything from that dark time."</p><p>Radley slowly walked over to him. "But . . . you know you're a good guy now, right?"</p><p>Kalin finally smiled. "Yes, I know. Which is also why I don't want to use this power unless I have to. All it can do is hurt people."</p><p>Radley leaned on the railing with one elbow. "Are you sure it's not just because of this place that you can do this? You've sensed it, haven't you? There's something unnatural about the whole area. Almost every duel we had seemed to deal real damage. Even when I got hit with Lawton's effect damage, that felt plenty real to me. Getting 4000 points of damage all at once knocked me out cold."</p><p>Kalin nodded. "I was pretty shaken up from that happening too," he remembered. "I did consider all of that. I also tried using my power outside of the town limits. It still happened." He frowned. "Maybe it's even because of me that the town got covered in some supernatural essence."</p><p>"It was happening before you came," Radley said. "Although when I think about it, I think it got stronger after you got here. . . ."</p><p>Kalin winced. "That figures."</p><p>"I wonder what caused it in the first place, though," Radley said. Then he shrugged and turned to lean on the railing with both arms behind him. "I guess we'll never know."</p><p>"Maybe not." Kalin hesitated. "We've got almost the entire town in order now, but there's still something not corrected from the Malcolm Crew's time here. The church is still closed."</p><p>"How do we fix that?" Radley looked doubtful. "Put out an ad for a new pastor?"</p><p>"Something like that, probably," Kalin said. "The church was one of the hardest things to rebuild, but it's done now, so it's time to take the next step."</p><p>"I guess so." Radley shook his head. "Those guys really didn't want religion here. I was leaving the priest alone, but Malcolm got Lawton out here to come chase him off. That was the first time I met him. The town cowered in fear for a couple of weeks after that."</p><p>"Why didn't he just take over then?" Kalin wondered.</p><p>"He wasn't interested," Radley said. "He said he had some lucrative deals going elsewhere. And he thought Malcolm could handle this dinky place. I guess his deals fell through later and he decided he wanted in on the dyne after all, even if he had to cut his brother out of the running to get it. Real nice family." A bit of bitterness slipped into his voice.</p><p>Kalin's eyes darkened.</p><p>"Me, I've never been that religious myself. My family is, but they're long on ‘letter of the law' and short on compassion," Radley continued. "That never sat right with me. What about you, Kalin?"</p><p>Kalin started back to the present. "I wasn't even sure there was a God," he said. "I couldn't imagine why God would have let Zero Reverse happen and tear Domino City apart. I figured if there was a God, He couldn't care much about the Satellite or anyone in it, and we were expected to fend for ourselves. Now, though . . ." He shook his head. "I don't know. I've seen so many things I can't explain, including you coming back. I . . ." He looked away. "I prayed for you, when you were in that coma and not expected to live. . . ."</p><p>"You did?" Radley looked at him in surprise.</p><p>Kalin nodded. "And you woke up. Not right away, but still."</p><p>"Well, hey." Radley walked around to face Kalin again. "That's really nice. I mean that. I don't think anyone's ever prayed for me in years. My family used to pray that I'd ‘see the light' and stop being such a hooligan, but I doubt they even do that anymore. They all just pretend I don't exist."</p><p>Kalin gripped the railing tight enough that his knuckles went white. "I know."</p><p>". . . You've never talked about your family," Radley noted. "I guess yours is no prize either?"</p><p>Kalin nodded. "My mother ran off when I was a kid and my father hated the Satellite and Sector Security and having to be saddled with me. He let me know it every day. I eventually ran away too, and never looked back. I don't know if either of my parents are alive. I don't know if I care."</p><p>Radley frowned. "You've got me beat then. I had some happy times with my family. It sounds like you never did."</p><p>"I was happier with Yusei and Jack and Crow," Kalin said. "They became my real family." He paused. "Now you are too."</p><p>Radley's eyes flickered in surprise, but then he smiled. "I never thought I'd hear you say anything like that."</p><p>"I never thought it either," Kalin said. A lot had changed over the last months. Having opened his heart again, and working so closely with Radley, and living with him, had all helped form a tight bond.</p><p>"Sometimes I think found family is the best kind," Radley said. "They're together because they want to be, not because they have to be."</p><p>"I think if you have a good biological family, that's great too," Kalin said. "Either way, any real family is a precious gift."</p><p>Radley nodded in agreement, looking occupied. ". . . Kalin . . ." he said at last, "why were you testing your powers right now? You seemed . . . ticked off when I came out."</p><p>"I was blowing off steam," Kalin admitted. "But I'm alright now. Don't worry about it."</p><p>"I didn't do anything, did I?" Radley asked.</p><p>Kalin shook his head. "No." He pushed away from the railing and took the box of glass pieces. "I'm going to throw this out now." Without waiting for Radley to answer, he walked past him and down the steps. The garbage can was kept near the garage, already opened for easier access. Kalin dumped the box in it. Then, hesitating, he pulled a crumpled sheet of paper out of his pocket and slowly opened it.</p><p>Several weeks ago he had written to Radley's family, still hoping that maybe it was only one or two of them that had rejected him. He had told them the whole story of Crash Town, and his and Radley's  meeting, and how Radley had been invaluable in rebuilding the town and the mine. Radley had put his business and organizational skills to use and the mine was running far better than before. If they would only come out and see his accomplishments, they would surely be proud of him.</p><p>Their reply had finally come that day.</p><p>
  <i>Mr. Kessler—</i>
</p><p>
  <i>It was good of you to inform us of Radley's activities. We are aware of some of this, and we do admit that his accomplishments are impressive for his young age. But he still looks like a hooligan, does he not? And he still rides with this group of society's rejects, including yourself? Unfortunately, we cannot consider him a respectable part of our proud and traditional family under these circumstances. And we certainly have no intention of traveling to this backwater Satisfaction Town, which is, as we understand it, a haven for those who have nowhere else to go. There have to be reasons why no one wants these people, and we have no desire to associate with any of them, especially Radley.</i>
</p><p>Kalin's eyes steeled. He tore the paper over and over, up one side, down another, until it was nothing more than scraps of confetti. He sprinkled them into the garbage can as well and slammed the lid.</p>
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